Forever
by s22
Summary: Edward got it way to easy when he returned with Bella after Italy. Here's my take. OC POV


Forever

Premise: Bella's friend, Alanna, from Phoenix comes to live in Forks shortly after Bella's own arrival in Forks. Alanna is confident, graceful, athletic, and thinks of Bella as the sister she never had.

AN: First of all, this is obviously AU. Second of all, I though Edward got off too easily when he went back to Forks. Here's how I thought thing should have gone when Edward brought Bella back to Charlie's house. Obviously this takes place as Edward and Bella return to the Swan house. For my purposes, Alice has returned with Edward and Bella. Just to clarify, this is Alanna's point of view.

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em.

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I stood on the porch and watch the silver volvo pull up to the curb. Charlie rushed down the steps toward Edward and Bella, livid. Edward cradled Bella closely has he exited the car. Her head resting neatly between his neck and shoulder. As much as I hated to admit it, they looked good together. I watch as Charlie yelled and Bella clutch Edward shirt tighter in her hand as if he would disappear if she didn't have a physical link to him. I sighed, I would have to diffuse the situation quickly before Bella tried to do something selfless.

"Charlie, let's get Bella inside. She's probably exhausted and can use some sleep."

Edward looked at me gratefully and I glared at him. I hadn't even started with him. I followed Edward and Charlie into the house. Both men hovered protectively over Bella. The girl in question still had her death grip on Edward's shirt. Edward laid the sleeping girl down gently on the bed. Bella protested softly but Edward whispered something in her ear that stopped her from protesting too much. Charlie glared the entire time waiting for the moment when Edward would relinquish his hold on his daughter. Edward refrained from kissing Bella on the forehead as he clearly wanted to. Edward straightened, breathed deeply and turned to face perhaps the second scariest thing he had ever faced. Charlie opened his mouth and I rushed over.

"Perhaps we should continue this somewhere Bella isn't sleeping?" I said ushering them out of the room. Tuning on the cd player that was plugged in on so the familiar strands of Bella's lullaby started. Edward looked at me and all I did was raise an eyebrow at him challengingly.

Once outside, both men stood facing each other. Charlie, every bit the policy chief. Edward the tormented vampire in love with a human girl.

"You can't ban him from Bella." I said quietly, reading the look on Charlie's face.

"Sure as hell I can." Charlie said.

"You'll loose Bella that way Charlie. Are you ready for that? Don't make her choose." I said.

Charlie looked at me. Bella's oldest friend. Perhaps the only person in the room to fully understand Bella. "Alanna."

I've always been told I have old eyes, even at eighteen my eyes always made me seem older. Today I used them to my full advantage.

"Charlie, you only recently got her back. I'm sure you don't want to loose her any soon than you have to."

Charlie breathed in deeply and glared at Edward, wishing that the vampire would disappear from Bella's life. He turned swiftly and went back inside, no doubt to check on Bella.

"Don't turn on the cd player." I called as he nodded.

"Thank you." Edward said gratefully.

"I didn't do it for you, jack ass." I said angrily. "The Volturi should have finished you off."

Alice moved from her position leaning against the car.

"I'm far from happy with you Alice." I said never taking my eyes off Edward.

"It wasn't her fault." Edward said defending her sister.

"She was cocky, thinking she could see everyone, anyone."

Alice looked crestfallen.

"You have no right." Edward his eye angry.

"No right? I gave you all the benefit of the doubt. Everyone is different, even vampires. But as usual, people always find a way to disappoint me."

"I'm sorry." Alice said quietly. "You're right. I was cocky. It never occurred to me I wouldn't be able to see someone."

I breathed deeply. "Everyone makes mistakes. I don't expect you to be perfect." I said quietly.

Alice smiled softly. "We should go. Esme and Carlisle will want to hear what happened in Italy." Alice suggested trying to avoid the conversation Edward and I would having the moment she left.

"I'm going to stay." Edward said looking at Bella's window.

Alice looked at us, knowing it was no use. There was no alternative to her vision. I was going to give Edward a piece of my mind and had no choice but to take it.

"You should go." I said still angry with him.

"She's expecting me to be there when she wakes in."

"I think you've done enough damage for a life time Edward." I said coldly.

Edward looked at me, obviously trying to read my mind. In retaliation I bombarded him with images of Bella. Bella crying. Bella staring listlessly out the window. Bella barely eating. Bella tossing and turning in her bed nightmares plaguing every moment. Bella calling his name in her sleep.

"Stop it." Edward said anguish clearly on his face.

"You weren't here." I accused. " You weren't here watching her fall apart. Listening to her cry for nights on end until she finally fell asleep, exhausted. Holding her as she sobbed into your shirt telling you she can't breathe. The world simply didn't mean anything. The rising sun meant it was another day without you and it tore at her heart and soul. All she wanted was you and you were off being selfish. Protecting her without any regard to how she felt."

Edward opened his mouth to speak.

"I'm not finished." I said angrily. "She loves you so much. More than anything else in this world and you abandoned her. Left her for no reason. No valid reason at least, just your own fears, your own insecurities. It took months to pull her out of her depression. To get some of the old spark that use to live inside her. It was like someone had snuffed out that light that use to glow insider her. Sure it moved like Bella, talked like Bella, looked like Bella, but it was a shell. Her friends stop making the effort to include her in their activities. She simply didn't want to do anything. It got so bad Charlie thought about sending her back to Renee. But she was refused. It was the most life we had seen out of her since you left, watching her argue with Charlie about leaving. Nothing I or anyone else could say to get her to let go. It was like she was a glutton for punishment, for the torment associated with your memory. She couldn't stand the thought of leaving the memories behind, leaving the last piece of you she had left." I laughed harshly.

"You tried to erase your presence from her life. Took the pictures, the cd, anything that would remind her of you. But it didn't matter, you couldn't take the meadow with you, or her house, the school, those things still reminded her of you. It hurt so much to see her like that. Charlie felt so helpless, constantly kicking himself in the ass for letting you near his daughter. I tried everything I could think of. Without Jake, I don't think she would have come out her funk." At the mention of Jake, Edward features tightened. I smiled internally, it was sadistic of me to enjoy the torment on his face but I felt he deserved it. "And then you came back."

Edward interjected softly. "I wasn't going to."

"No you were going to let the Volturi kill you." I said sneering.

"I thought she was dead!" Edward venomously. His posture tortured.

"And now you know she isn't. So now what Edward? You leave under the cover of darkness? You pretend this never happened? You love her from afar. What Edward?." I scoffed furiously. "Tell me if you're leaving ow so I can do damage control. So I can circle the wagons and head this off at the pass and save the small part of Bella that's taken six months to get back.

"I'll stay as long as she needs me."

"She'll need you forever Edward. Are you prepared to give her that? Because I don't want you to decide tomorrow, next week, or 10 years from now that you need to leave her in order to keep her safe. She can't live through the heartbreak again. Decide now Edward. Because if you leave her again, you won't have to worry about going the Volturi. I'll kill you myself. I'll make you relieve every moment of her torment, her anguish, her sorrow. I'll break your mind, body, and soul. And I will do it with a song in my heart. No one will be able to save or protect you. There isn't place on this plant you can hide from me. I will take you anywhere, everywhere. I will haunt your every waking moment with her image forever. I won't let you die until you've suffered as much as she has. So what will it be Edward? Stay or flee?" I asked my eyes hard as diamonds and as cold as ice.

Edward looking to my face and saw the promise behind my words. He and I both knew if he left Bella again, broke her heart, I would end his existence.

"I'm staying as long as she'll have me. If its for the rest of her life, its for the rest of her life."

I let out a cynical laugh. "Still trying to avoid destiny, huh?"

Edward looked at me, his eyes sad.

"And if its forever?" I asked my eyes still hard and cold. I wouldn't let him hurt her again.

"Then its forever." Edward said calmly.

He moved to go her window and I let him pass. He and I both knew our paths were set if he left her again.

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Parting Note: Forgive my portrayal of Alice. It just fit with the story. If anyone is interested, I'm thinking about writing more about with this alternate universe. Please Review.


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